Paris Olympics: US Star Caeleb Dressel Misses Chance to Defend Olympic Titles in 50-Meter Free and 100 Fly

U.S. swimmer Caeleb Dressel broke down in tears after failing to defend his Olympic gold medals in the 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter freestyle events at the Paris Games on Friday, August 2 2024.

Dressel, a decorated swimmer with eight Olympic gold medals to his name, was expected to dominate these events, having clinched gold in both races at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

However, his performance in Paris fell short of expectations.

In the 50-meter freestyle final, Dressel placed sixth with a time of 21.61 seconds, trailing Australia’s Cameron McEvoy, who secured gold with a time of 21.26 seconds.

Less than an hour later, Dressel competed in the semi-finals of the 100-meter butterfly, where he finished fifth with a time of 51.57 seconds. France’s Maxime Grousset won gold in this event with a time of 50.41 seconds.

Photographers captured the 27-year-old Florida native in tears after the 100-meter butterfly semi-final, reflecting the intense disappointment that can accompany high-stakes competition.

Despite the setbacks in his individual events, Dressel achieved a significant victory on Saturday, helping Team USA win gold in the men’s 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay. This win marked the U.S.’s first gold medal of the Paris Games.

In Tokyo, Dressel had set a world record in the men’s 100-meter butterfly with a time of 49.45 seconds and an Olympic record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.07 seconds.